Karas, Beller Named 2018 Ernest T. Sigler Award Winners
8/23/2018 10:35:00 AM | General, Men's Cross Country, Men's Track & Field, Women's Gymnastics
CHICAGO, Ill. -- University of Michigan rising senior gymnast Olivia Karas (Chicago, Illinois/Latin School of Chicago) and former distance runner Micah Beller (Niles, Illinois/Niles North) of the track and field and cross country teams were named the winners of the 2018 Ernest T. Sigler Award by the University of Michigan Club of Greater Chicago on Wednesday (August 22) at the Michigan Football Preview Party held at the Rock-it Bar & Grill in Chicago.
The award is presented annually to the best male and female student-athletes from the Chicago area.
Karas becomes the third women's gymnast from U-M to receive the award, joining Wheaton, Illinois, native Katie Zurales in 2013 and Lake Forest, Illinois, native Katie Lieberman in 2006. Karas is a two-time NACGC/W All-American, the 2017 Big Ten champion on floor exercise and the 2016 Big Ten Freshman of the Year. She is a two-time All-Big Ten selection and five-time Big Ten Gymnast of the Week with 27 career event and all-around titles. A communications major, Karas has twice been named to the Academic All-Big Ten team.
Beller is the first male cross country runner and the second men's track and field athlete to receive the award, joining Wheaton, Illinois, native Adam Harris from 2009. Beller was a two-year captain of the men's cross country team, and was a member of the squads that won Big Ten titles in 2015 and 2017. On the track, he took fourth in the 2018 Big Ten Indoor Championships 5,000-meter final and was a two-time qualifier for the NCAA outdoor postseason at that distance. In the classroom, he is a two-time USTFCCCA All-Academic selection and a six-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
The award is named after Ernest T. Sigler, who served as the executive director of the U-M Club of Greater Chicago for 35 years.
Ernest T. Sigler Award Winners
1977: Dominic Tedesco, Football
1978: Robert J. Creek, Gymnastics
1979: Matt Horwich, Tennis
1980: George Lilja, Football
1981: Kurt Becker, Football
1982: Robert Thompson, Football
1983: Art Balourdos, Football
Dan Pelekoudas, Basketball
1984: Mike Mallory, Football
1985: Doug Mallory, Football
1986: Andre McIntyre, Football
1987: Mike Husar, Football
1988: Derick Walker, Football
1989: Chris Calloway, Football
1990: Erick Anderson, Football
1991: Dave Ritter, Football
1992: Corwin Brown, Football
1993: Robert Pelinka, Basketball
1994: Trezelle Jenkins, Football
1995: Thomas Guynes, Football
1996: Blake Sloan, Ice Hockey
1997: Tai Streets, Football
1998: Bubba Berenzweig, Ice Hockey
Aaron Shea, Football
1999: Tim Dehr, Gymnastics
Elizabeth Kampfe, Track and Field/Cross Country
2000: Robert Fraumann, Football
Jeanne Shin, Field Hockey
2001: Kurt Anderson, Football
Shannon Melka, Volleyball
2002: Dan Rumishek, Football
Molly Powers, Field Hockey
2003: Tony Pape, Football
Chantel Reedus, Volleyball
2004: Jason Avant, Football
Al Montoya, Ice Hockey
Therese Heaton, Soccer
2005: Jason Avant, Football
Samantha Findlay, Softball
2006: Eric Tannenbaum, Wrestling
Katie Lieberman, Gymnastics
2007/2008: Tim Jamison, Football
Katie Bruzdzinski, Volleyball
2009: Adam Harris, Track and Field
Casey Taylor, Track and Field
2010: David Moosman, Football
Angela Findlay, Softball
2011: Thomas Kelley, Gymnastics
Lexi Zimmerman, Volleyball
2012: David Molk, Football
Caitlin Dauw, Swimming
2013: Evan King, Tennis
Katie Zurales, Gymnastics
2014: JT Compher, Ice Hockey
Lyndsay Doyle, Softball
2015: Eric Jacobson, Baseball
Kristen Dodge, Tennis
2016: Graham Glasgow, Football
Kelly Christner, Softball
2017: Ty Isaac, Football
Brienne Minor, Tennis
Players Mentioned
